


support

by thegirlwithmanynames



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen, not explicitly shippy but lbr when I write these three they're always an ot3 in my head
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-10-31 23:30:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10909677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirlwithmanynames/pseuds/thegirlwithmanynames
Summary: “It’s just more bearable if we’re together."Work bore down on Armin, Eren, and Mikasa even before they joined the military.





	support

“One more year,” he muttered to himself as he dragged his cart further. “One more year and I’ll be able to join the military. Just –” a grunt – “ _one more_  –”

“Eren,” came Mikasa’s warning voice, and before he could even react, she’d put a hand on his shoulder. The gentle strength in that hand made him stagger to a stop; the cart behind him wobbled, its uneven wheels unsteadily balanced on the forested road and made all the worse for the snow coming down around them. “Wait.”

He _hated_  Mikasa’s strength. How could it be that this was so easy for her when it forced so much out of him? It wasn’t _fair_.

“What is it now?”  he asked roughly, ducking out from underneath her hand but making no move to continue.

It wasn’t fair, but life wasn’t. If it was, there’d be no Titans to worry about – they’d be free to roam outside the walls, to see the wonders of the world that were their birthright to see instead of being chained like worthless animals to this ruined system that had them dragging agricultural supplies around the outskirts of Wall Rose in broken carts in exchange for barely enough money to live.

“Armin needs to catch up,” Mikasa said, motioning behind them. Her grey eyes were soft, her mouth only slightly downturned, and, slightly eased, Eren followed the direction of her arm with a turn of his head. Not too far behind them, a head of blond hair was bent over, snow gathering on the crown of it as he pushed through with the cart behind him. Armin’s thin shoulders were covered by a threadbare knit sweater, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from shivering.

He looked back to Mikasa, and a shared understanding passed between them without words.

_I want to help him_ was evident in Eren’s eyes, burning bright with determination.  _He doesn’t want us to,_  said Mikasa’s sigh, her pursed lips. 

“I know,” he grumbled aloud, his grip tightening on the handle of his cart, disregarding the wooden splinters that pierced his skin, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to anyway.”

“I know,” Mikasa replied in kind, putting her hand over his. It was dry, skin cracked from the cold air, but it was still a comfort. Despite everything, he smiled at her, and her lips turned up at the edges to match his.

“You didn’t have to wait,” came Armin’s voice, only slightly louder than an exhale, from behind them; Eren and Mikasa turned simultaneously on their heels to look him over. “I can make it on my own.”

“We know you can,” Mikasa murmured, a slight nod accompanying her words.

“It’s just more bearable if we’re together,” Eren declared, the sincerity sharp in his words like the biting wind that whipped their hair around now. Mikasa buried the bottom half of her face into her scarf – the scarf that he’d given her years ago now – and Armin shivered again in his too-large sweater.

“Thanks,” he said quietly.

Letting go of his cart, Eren took the few steps needed to reach Armin and wrapped him in a hug, burying his head in the crook of the small blond’s neck. “Let’s keep warm for awhile,” he mumbled.

“This probably isn’t a good idea,” Armin replied, but he made no move to disentangle himself from Eren’s embrace, instead wrapping his arms loosely around Eren’s midsection. Green eyes peeked around Armin’s neck to catch Mikasa’s grey, and without further invitation she joined them, keeping Armin warm between herself and Eren, her hiding place in the other side of his neck.

“I agree with Armin,” she said, only just loudly enough for all of them to hear. “This is a terrible idea.”

“Come up with a better one,” Eren challenged.

“We keep moving until we reach the nearest shelter,” Armin replied almost immediately, though his arm linked with Mikasa’s to pull her even closer.

“We’re going to freeze out here otherwise,” she added, her fingers clutching Eren’s shirt.

He groaned, his own fingers grasping her jacket and his palm resting gently against Armin’s back. “Let me freeze, then. I don’t want to move.”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Armin said affectionately, leaning his head against Eren’s.

“I’m not,” he insisted, though it was only half-hearted.

“Let’s go, then,” Mikasa said, her eyes closed.

Armin pulled them all together for one last moment, holding to their entangled limbs and taking a long breath to ready himself. Eren embraced them even more tightly for it; Mikasa gently rubbed circles with her thumb where she was able to reach.

“Let’s go,” the blond echoed after that last moment, though the reluctance was audible in his soft voice. With Eren’s groaned complaints for background noise, they pulled apart and returned to their carts, brushing the snow off their shoulders in the hopes that the gesture would mentally ready them for the trek ahead.

From then on, however, they kept a slower pace, and kept conversation as they trudged forward.

As long as they were there for each other, Eren realized as their breaths materialized as clouds in the air as they laughed at Mikasa’s dry humour, they could do anything.


End file.
